Ellen Brody a”h Remembered at Emotional Funeral

Dobbs Ferry, NY – The SUV driver involved in a train wreck that claimed six lives was “a beautiful soul” who always took a genuine interest in others, her rabbi said today at her levaya, the AP reports.

A large crowd gathered at the Dobbs Ferry funeral for Ellen Brody, a 49-year-old mother of three daughters in their teens and 20s.

“I was looking through our archives last night. We have dozens of pictures of Ellen,” Rabbi Benjy Silverman said before the service. “And in each one, without fail, she has a huge smile, a warm smile. We call it the Ellen Smile.”

She was “a beautiful soul” who found the beauty in others, Rabbi Silverman said.

“She adored her daughters and husband. She was their biggest fan and supporter,” he said.

Ellen worked at a suburban jewelry store and was married to Alan Brody, an author and journalist. She was active in Chabad of the Rivertowns.

Ellen was killed in the SUV that was hit by a train on Tuesday. The National Transportation Safety Board is looking into how familiar she was with her car and her route and whether the backed-up traffic played a role.